Despite Bogeys, Sorenstam Is Still in Control

Annika Sorenstam is right where she wants to be after two rounds of the Office Depot Championship Hosted by Amy Alcott, but she’s kicking herself thinking about where she could have been.

Sorenstam shot an even-par 72 on Saturday at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana and leads the tournament with a two-round total of four under, two shots ahead of Mi-Hyun Kim and Heather Bowie.

Kim was one of four players whose rounds were suspended because of darkness. She missed the green with her approach on the last hole and will play her third shot at 7:15 a.m.

Alison Nicholas and Pat Hurst, who shot a second-round best 68, are three behind at one under; Se Ri Pak is tied with Beth Daniel at even.

Sorenstam, the first-round leader, threatened to run away from the pack when she made birdies on four of her first seven holes and opened a five-stroke lead, but she made four bogeys in her next nine holes.

“I’m happy with my round; however, I got off to such a good start it doesn’t feel quite as good coming in at level,” Sorenstam said. “But I have a chance to win tomorrow. Just being in contention is what I look forward to every week.”

It is the second consecutive adventurous round for Sorenstam, who had two eagles, three birdies and three bogeys in the first round. The Swede has built a reputation as a steady player, but her up-and-down play this weekend continues a trend of multi-birdie, multi-bogey rounds that began last weekend during her runner-up performance at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“I don’t really know why,” said Sorenstam, seeking her first victory of 2003 after winning 11 times last year. “I mean, I’m hitting a lot of good shots and I’m hitting some shots that aren’t as good as I’d like them to be. When I hit good shots, I make birdie and when I don’t, I struggle to make par.”

Sorenstam switched to a cross-handed putting grip for this week and looked like a genius when she made birdie putts of 12, seven, 18 and eight feet on the first seven holes. But she missed a five-foot par putt on No. 8, missed from 10 feet for par on No. 9 and three-putted from 11 feet for bogey on No. 16.

“I didn’t make as many on the back,” Sorenstam said. “These greens are difficult, especially in the afternoon. It’s very bumpy out there and these little short putts are not so easy.”

That Sorenstam has a lead after her finish is a testament to how difficult the course is playing. Friday, 19 players failed to break 80. Swirling, gusty winds made conditions tougher Saturday, when there were 23 players who shot 80 or higher.

The cut, expected to be at eight over, will not be official until the round is complete. Of the four left to finish, Kim is two under, Raquel Carriedo is two over, Suzanne Strudwick is six over and Silvia Cavalleri is seven over.

Kim was in the final group that started on the 10th hole. The three others left on the course started on No. 1 and completed 17 holes. Kim and playing partners Beth Bauer and Michelle Ellis, along with their caddies, ran from green to tee on the final three holes and sprinted down the fairway on the last.

Bauer and Ellis finished, but Kim opted to wait until this morning after assessing her shot from the greenside rough. Late Friday, Jenny Lidback made a similar decision when faced with a 45-foot putt.

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Leaderboard

Partial second-round scores from the $1.5-million LPGA Tour Office Depot Championship at El Caballero CC in Tarzana. Par 72 (36-36):

*--* Annika Sorenstam 68-72--140 -4 Heather Bowie 72-70--142 -2 Pat Hurst 75-68--143 -1 Alison Nicholas 71-72--143 -1 Beth Daniel 73-71--144 E Se Ri Pak 73-71--144 E Lorie Kane 72-73--145 +1 Stephanie Louden 71-74--145 +1 Cindy Figg-Currier 70-75--145 +1

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Note: Because of darkness, four golfers were unable to complete second round. They will complete round this morning.